


The Cost of Loyalty

by MelodramaticCoffeeAddict



Series: The Next Right Thing Companions [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Companion Piece, Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Luffy is a good captain, M/M, Someone stop me, The Next Right Thing Companion Piece, This AU is getting out of hand, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:08:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24727996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelodramaticCoffeeAddict/pseuds/MelodramaticCoffeeAddict
Summary: Luffy loves his swordsman, more than anyone else in the world. But, he hates that this is what Zoro’s become. Hates that Zoro’s entire existence has become solely for his crew. His swordsman lies at every turn, tries to pretend that Water 7 and Enies Lobby haven’t torn him to shreds. Ignores young Sanji’s concern over the way he reopens the wound on his hand, just to tame the panic that tries to settle in.It’s become painfully obvious that Zoro is so exhausted he can barely stand and he stumbles his way out of their quarters to head for the shipyard. Because he doesn’t want the others to see what he’s about to do. Luffy walks beside him, grabbing his arm, screaming and crying for him to stop“Please, go back to your nakama, Zoro! Please, just go sleep. It’s gonna be okay. Please don’t. Please stop. Zoro, please!”Zoro continues as if Luffy isn’t there. Because, to the swordsman, he isn't.orGhost Luffy watches his swordsman fall apart and desperately wishes he knew how to fix it. (A companion one shot toThe Next Right Thing)
Relationships: Monkey D. Luffy/Roronoa Zoro
Series: The Next Right Thing Companions [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1787968
Comments: 24
Kudos: 165





	The Cost of Loyalty

**Author's Note:**

> I have no excuse for this. Other than, I've been having a really rough past few weeks and I needed to write something that hurt. Thus, this fic came about. Because what could possibly hurt more than forcing Luffy to watch Zoro fall apart, piece by piece? I actually had quite a few people who have been curious about the dead crew and how ghosts work in _The Next Right Thing_. I hope that this kind of builds on that lore. In my mind, the longer a ghost stays dead the more powerful they become. Which is why Luffy appeared more often than the others and Luffy and Sanji are the only ones who showed up in Marineford. I hope at least some of that actually comes through with this fic. 
> 
> We jump around quite a bit here. I wanted to cover what the important moments for Luffy would be without dragging out the entire story again. So, its mostly a lot of Luffy being frustrated over Zoro's coping mechanisms and wishing he could do something to help Zoro. 
> 
> This is a companion fic, so if you haven't read the first fic, I suggest you do so. Otherwise, you'll be a little confused. I also hope that you guys aren't sick of this Time Travel AU and that you enjoy!

_You did this_.

It's the only thought his mind supplies as he watches his swordsman sink the dead blade into his flesh, _again_. Two times to fucking many as far as Luffy’s concerned. Zoro’s breathing is quick and heavy in the air, every inch of his body trembling as he leans against the tree and gasps for air.

_“Never force me to watch someone hurt you again.”_

Is that what Zoro felt the first time too? Angry? Hurt beyond the wounds Bellmany’s gang had caused? 

_“I’m sorry,”_ Zoro whispers. 

Luffy’s focus snaps back to his swordsman, watching Zoro pull in shaking breaths. His swordsman tears a strip from his ruined shirt to clean his blood from the sword. Luffy hears more than the simple two words.

 _I’m sorry I made you do this,_ Zoro is telling the blade. _Sorry I’m weak. Sorry I lived instead of them._

“No!” Luffy shouts. “Don’t say dumb stuff!”

Zoro doesn’t acknowledge it. He never does. Luffy has tried screaming at the top of his lungs. Tried throwing things. Tried tearing Zoro’s hands away from his swords. Nothing works. Nothing works because Luffy is dead. Luffy is dead and Zoro is alive. Still alive, like Luffy wanted. His swordsman survived, but he’s not living. It hits Luffy like a gut punch. 

He hates it. He hates it so much.

“Luffy-san,” Brook calls softly, as he always does. “He can’t hear you.”

All of the color drains from Zoro’s face in less than a second. He throws himself to the side and retches, vomit spilling past his lips. Luffy never knew ghosts could feel, but right now every part of him itches to punch Zoro square in the face and tell him to stop doing this. Stop hurting himself, be it with a blade or with his thoughts. 

“I don’t care! I don’t care! He’s gotta stop. Zoro, you gotta stop!”

Again, his swordsman ignores him, fingers digging into his fresh wound as he wipes his mouth and sits himself up. If only he could make himself real again. Brook says it's possible. That ghosts can make the living hear and see them. But, he isn’t strong enough yet. Luffy is never strong enough. No matter what he does, somehow, he manages to let down the people he loves. First Ace. Then, Torao. Then, his crew. Now, Zoro. 

Stronger. Luffy needs to be stronger. How ghosts can get stronger, he doesn’t know. But, he’s going to do it. He’s going to be strong enough to punch Zoro in his stupid face until he comes to his senses. Because this isn’t fair. This isn’t why he saved Zoro.

 _“Jaya,”_ he hears Zoro whisper, as though the island’s name is his only lifeline. _“Jaya.”_

“Can’t we stop this?” Usopp asks, turning to Brook. “I mean, you got to go back and take over your body. We’re ghosts, like you. Can’t we make ourselves stop?”

Luffy hopes so. He doesn’t know if Zoro can make it through this. It’s become easy to spot when Zoro is about to descend into panic. Easy to spot and very frequent. Days ago, the very thought of Water 7 had Zoro shaking on the deck with Vivi desperately trying to find a way to help him. Now, here they are. In a few minutes, there’s going to be screaming on the deck and Zoro is already an unresponsive mess.

Zoro presses himself against the back deck of the Merry, his fingers knotted in his hair as he curls himself into a painful looking ball. His entire body trembles violently and he keeps pulling at his hair, as though trying to cause himself pain without the living version of Luffy catching on.

 _“Usopp’s okay,”_ Luffy’s younger self assures the swordsman. _“You don’t have to worry, Zoro. Everybody’s okay. I know he got hurt, but we get hurt all the time. It’s okay.”_

Unsurprisingly, Zoro doesn’t respond. Luffy’s positive he can hear his swordsman’s teeth chattering in his panic.

“That’s not the way it works, Usopp-san,” Brook says softly, voice full of regret. 

“Brook,” Nami’s voice trembles. “We have to help him.”

“I’m sorry, Nami-san. But, I’m afraid, at this point, there isn’t much we can do.”

_“I’m gonna go get Vivi, ‘kay? It’s gonna be okay, Zoro.”_

It isn’t, Luffy knows. Water 7 is so far from okay and Zoro has to do this _again_. If he’d just told them what was happening or at least told Vivi, maybe it would have stopped this. Maybe they’d all be in the galley, laughing with Robin, instead of Vivi kneeling down to comfort his terrified swordsman.

_“I’m supposed to protect them. I’m bad nakama.”_

_“Zoro!”_ Vivi sounds as upset as Luffy feels.

_“I am. I’m bad. That’s why. That’s why they left me behind. They died and they left me behind.”_

Luffy’s eyes widen, watching tears fill his cowering swordsman’s eyes. Around him, the others let out horrified gasps and he hears Sanji swear wildly. He can’t really think that. Zoro can’t, for one second, believe that they would ever leave him behind on purpose.

 _But you did_ , a voice in the back of his head says. _You made him live without you because you couldn’t live without him. You did this_.

Luffy did this to his swordsman. To his Zoro.

Sobs erupt from Zoro’s chest, harsh, choked and painful. Vivi pulls him close, her own tears silent. Rage pours through Luffy. This isn’t what they were supposed to do. They were supposed to live. Luffy wanted Zoro to _live_. Not to suffer.

And that’s all Water 7 can be. Suffering. The shouts and splintering of wood carry all around them. Vivi keeps a strong hold on Zoro and Luffy’s grateful. Grateful that the princess has a good head on her shoulders and that she’s strong enough to stand her ground on this. That she won’t let Zoro suffer past what he absolutely must.

 _“Where were you? Where were you? You’re supposed to keep Luffy from doig stupid things! You’re supposed to protect this crew!”_ Tears are streaming down Nami’s young face, her confusion and grief enough that she must not see the way Zoro’s entire body stiffens, jaw twitches, and his eyes glaze over for a minute.

“That bitch,” Nami hisses. “I’ll kill her.”

“Nami-san,” Sanji says softly. “She doesn’t know.”

_“You bastard! You stupid bastard! Let me go! He’s our friend!”_

“I don’t care. I’ll kill her.”

The threat is empty, but no one bothers to point it out. No one can see them. No one can hear them. They can’t do anything other than watch their swordsman suffer.

Luffy loves his swordsman, more than anyone else in the world. But, he hates that this is what Zoro’s become. Hates that Zoro’s entire existence has become solely for his crew. His swordsman lies at every turn, tries to pretend that Water 7 and Enies Lobby haven’t torn him to shreds. Ignores young Sanji’s concern over the way he reopens the wound on his hand, just to tame the panic that tries to settle in. 

It’s become painfully obvious that Zoro is so exhausted he can barely stand and he stumbles his way out of their quarters to head for the shipyard. Because he doesn’t want the others to see what he’s about to do. Luffy walks beside him, grabbing his arm, screaming and crying for him to stop

“Please, go back to your nakama, Zoro! Please, just go sleep. It’s gonna be okay. Please don’t. Please stop. Zoro, please!”

Zoro continues as if Luffy isn’t there. Because, to the swordsman, he isn’t. And that’s not fair. That’s not fair at all. It’s stupid. It’s stupid and Luffy _hates_ it. He’s Zoro’s captain. He’s supposed to protect his swordsman. His first nakama. His best nakama.

They stopped at the edge of the yard, looking out over the ruined ships. Zoro’s hand lingers on the bad sword. The same one that he let bite him so deeply.

“Please, don’t!”

_“Whatcha doin’?”_

It’s his voice and Luffy sobs in relief. They did notice. He knows he should have trusted them to, but no one other than Vivi has been trying to get to the bottom of things. No one other than Vivi is willing to acknowledge that Zoro froze in the middle of battle, _twice_. If not for the princess, Luffy would have lost his swordsman. 

Because this crew is dumb. So, so dumb! They have to do something. Something else. Something more.

“Help him!” he shouts to himself. Because Luffy can’t. Luffy can’t help his nakama. “Please, help him. Make Zoro better!”

It takes a small show of Conqueror's Haki to get Zoro back to bed, but they get him there without unnecessary injury and Luffy thinks that’s all he can ask for. Alive Sanji and Alive Luffy get Zoro settled into a bed, tucked in and to sleep before they both sit at the table.

 _“Luffy,”_ Alive Sanji says. _“Something is wrong. You can’t let him keep going like this.”_

_“If Zoro wanted me to know, he’d tell me.”_

_“This isn’t about what Zoro wants anymore, Luffy. He’s losing weight. Freezing in battle. He could have died if Vivi-chan wasn’t there. We have to do something.”_

_“Zoro will tell me when he’s ready.”_

To use captain’s orders to force something out of Zoro is a betrayal of trust. Such full and complete trust. From the moment Zoro broke open his own wound to carry Luffy’s cage away from Buggy, Luffy knew he had a weapon. Because that’s what loyalty is, a dangerous but fragile weapon. 

He can’t abuse it. Not with Zoro.

_“He can’t keep going like this, Luffy.”_

_“He’s gonna be fine. He’s got us!”_

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, just tell him,” Sanji growls at his younger self. “Tell him what that idiot did!”

“It won’t help,” Luffy admits softly. “He’s not gonna make Zoro talk.”

“Well, he should,” the cook snarls. “What good is this doing him, Luffy? He’s killing himself!”

Luffy didn’t know that ghosts could cry until his vision goes all blurry. “Zoro. Zoro’s trust is the best thing in the world,” he admits. “N’ forcing him to talk isn’t fair. He’d never trust me again. N’ I know that. _He_ knows that. Forcing Zoro to talk won’t help, Sanji. It’ll make things worse.”

_“Get your ass up into that crows’ nest and talk to him!”_ Alive Sanji drags Alive Luffy into Sunny’s galley and kicks him halfway across the room.

 _“Sanji,”_ Alive Luffy says firmly. _“I’m not gonna make Zoro tell me if he doesn’t want to.”_

_“He’s hurting himself, you idiot!”_

For a brief moment, panic flickers across the face of Luffy’s younger self. _“What?”_

_“During that storm, before I got on the train, I met up with Zoro. I saw him falling and I went to get him. I figured the idiot would get lost or something, but. He just laid there, Luffy. Just laid there and stared up at the sky for a long time. And then, he reached out for his cursed sword and he cut himself with it.”_

Alive Luffy’s face scrunches and he lowers his hat, desperate not to let Sanji see the range of emotions crossing his face.

_“Luffy, he knows things are going to happen before they happen. And, whatever he knows, it’s hurting him. It’s making him hurt himself. Something happened. You have to talk to him.”_

There’s a long stretch of silence. 

_“I’m scared, Luffy,”_ Alive Sanji whispers. _“I’m scared he’s going to kill himself.”_

 _“I can’t make Zoro tell me, Sanji,”_ Alive Luffy says again. _“But, we’re gonna take care of him, ‘kay? I promise. We’re gonna help Zoro.”_

Alive Sanji lets out a long sigh. _“I hope you know what you’re doing, Sencho.”_

_“Me too.”_

There are little moments. Little moments that Luffy gets to see his swordsman live again. Bink’s Sake sounds perfect as the lyrics spill out of Zoro’s mouth, a genuine and crooked smile on his face. One by one, the crew emerge onto the deck, all smiling as they realize the same thing. This is a brief moment of happiness. It won’t last forever, but it strikes hope through Luffy’s body.

Zoro isn’t gone.

Not yet.

“Vivi heard me,” Luffy tells Brook, grinning. “That’s good, right? That means Zoro will be able to hear me too?”

His musician gives him a conflicted look. “Luffy-san, I know you want to help our dear swordsman, but please be careful. It isn’t uncommon for spirits who only want to help to drive their loved ones mad.”

“But, Zoro-”

“Zoro has been through a lot of trauma, Luffy-san. He longs for you, for all of us. But, to speak to him without him being able to see us could do far more harm than it could good.”

All of the excitement starts to leak from Luffy. He thought that would be good. Thought that Zoro being able to hear him, to hear Luffy tell him to stop hurting himself would be good. But, it turns out, it would be the exact opposite.

He can’t help Zoro. He did this to his swordsman but he can’t do anything to help him.

“Oi, Brook. Can _you_ see me?” Luffy asks. 

The skeleton jumps and turns to look at him, wide eyed. He can’t really call Brook young or alive, because the skeleton is neither. But the skeleton can at least see him. 

_“Oh, well, this is quite strange. I could have sworn you were a little more, well alive, last I met you.”_

“Oh, you can see me! Suge! Suge! I’m Monkey D. Luffy. I was gonna be King of the Pirates. N’ you’re Brook. You’re my musician!”

_“Well, I must admit I am a bit confused, Luffy-san. I could have sworn we’ve just had this conversation, not two hours ago.”_

“Shishishi. You were talking to Alive Luffy. I’m Dead Luffy.”

_“Oh my. Well, I suppose this warrants an explanation, Luffy-san.”_

The entirety of Thriller Bark makes Luffy long to be corporious. No, that’s not the right word. Nami keeps saying the word but Luffy can’t remember it and right now, he doesn’t really are. He just wants to be solid so that he can hit something. Hard.

Blood stains Zoro’s hand as he slams his fist down on his leg, again and again and again. He’s hyperventilating and chanting “it’s. It’s not right. It’s- I’m s-sorry. I’m sorry. It’s not”. Luffy’s younger self tackles him, restraining Zoro’s limbs as he arches his back and sobs, shouting about how sorry he is. 

It’s maddening. Maddening because this isn’t supposed to be happening. This isn’t what Luffy wanted for Zoro. Luffy wanted Zoro to live. Luffy wanted Zoro to be happy. Now, watching his swordsman curl up against his younger self’s chest, struggling to breathe and gasping as he begs for forgiveness. Forgiveness he doesn’t need because Zoro didn’t do anything wrong. 

This has to stop. It has to because if it doesn’t stop soon, Luffy is going to be the one driven insane.

He has to get stronger. Has to figure out a way to show himself to Zoro. Luffy has to help Zoro. 

_“Because we’ve done this before, Kuma.”_

The words stick with Luffy as he storms after his swordsman and the Shichibukai. All of the screaming in the world has done _nothing_ to stop Zoro from agreeing to this. For a second time it seems. A second time. Zoro’s done this before. _This_ is why his swordsman was in such terrible shape for so long. 

Because he’d traded his life for Luffy’s. He’d traded his dream for Luffy’s life. And Luffy has _never_ been so furious with his swordsman. He has never wanted to punch Zoro in the face more than he does in this very moment. Zoro threw away his dream. After swearing that he would kill Luffy if he ever got his way of becoming the World’s Greatest Swordsman, Zoro threw it all away.

 _You did this_ , the voice in his head says again. 

Zoro’s entire existence has become so intertwined with this crew that his dream comes second to the lives of others. Luffy fucking _hates_ it. 

Hates that Zoro doesn’t blink at the bubble. Only asks Kuma for the chance to save Ace.

 _You did this_. 

Luffy wraps his arms around his swordsman, knowing it won’t do any good but hoping against hope that it will at least make him pause. No such luck. 

_You did this._

“Zoro,” Luffy says, firmly. “Live!”

There’s a place between life and death. A place that the living and the dead can go. Can see each other. Brook calls it the In-Between. Robin calls it limbo. Luffy doesn’t give a shit what it’s called. All he knows is that he’s standing on the deck of Sunny-Go and Zoro is laying in his usual napping spot. Like he would be on any normal day. It smells like Sanji’s cooking and warmth from the sun beats down as Brook sings Bink’s Sake.

For the first time in months, Zoro will be able to see him. To hear him. And Luffy has a lot to say to his _idiot_ swordsman. 

At first, Zoro doesn’t seem to recognize what’s happening. He looks twenty-one again. Dressed in his kimono with his left eye scarred over. The worry lines have vanished, Zoro looks happy and unconcerned until his eye meets Luffy. For a pause, Luffy considers just talking to Zoro. Telling him that it isn’t his fault and that he didn’t do anything wrong. 

But his tongue moves before his mind can take hold. 

“Bakayarou,” Luffy growls. His vision goes all blurry again. “How dare you!”

Zoro looks genuinely confused. “Luffy?”

“You said if I ever got between you and your dream you’d kill me! And then you threw your life away. Your dream!”

The rage in his chest isn’t for Zoro. It’s for Luffy. Because he did this. He did this to Zoro. He did this to his nakama. The one man who has given Luffy nothing short of blind loyalty and love. The one man who’s ever made his heart skip, made him feel light and perfect and worthy. Zoro has built Luffy up for years.

And Luffy destroyed him in return.

Zoro’s image flickers. He’s nineteen again, covered in blood from what Kuma’s done and staring up at Luffy in unabashed horror. 

“Bakayarou!” Luffy shouts. Tears fall down his cheeks. “How dare you! How dare you, Zoro! I told you to live! I told you to live! Why? Why?”

Zoro vanishes, pulled back into the land of the living with sudden and unexpected force. Luffy screams.

“Luffy-san,” Brook says softly. “You must try to be reasonable about this.”

“I’m not leaving Zoro!”

His musician sighs sadly. The rest of their crew sit silently. The infirmary is quiet now that the living crew are distracted with the wonders of Sabaody. If only they knew.

“Luffy.” Jinbei’s voice is sad as the katana at the desk beside him begin to tremble. “This is what Brook is worried about. You must control your emotions.”

“Spirits who force themselves to stay, especially those with anger in their hearts, often do more harm than good, Luffy-san,” Brook tries again. “We have to come to terms with the possibility that we cannot help Zoro-san.”

“I’m _not_ leaving Zoro,” Luffy repeats through gritted teeth.

That’s what Zoro’s been so afraid of. He’s been repeating it for weeks. That they left him behind. But Luffy didn’t. He could _never_ leave Zoro behind.

“Luffy,” Nami snaps. “Listen to what they’re saying.”

“I won’t! I promised! I promised I’d never go where Zoro couldn’t follow me! I’m not leaving him behind! I’m not! I’m not!” 

The anger begins to build in his chest. How could they ever think that leaving their nakama behind was a good idea? Luffy made a better crew than this, he knows he did. As though sensing his rage, Zoro stirs in the bed and lets out a low whimper.

“Oi, oi,” Sanji says evenly. “That’s enough. We’re not leaving Zoro, Sencho. Calm down.”

No, they aren’t. Luffy could never leave Zoro alone. He will _never_ leave Zoro alone.

Sabo is there. Sabo came back too and Sabo can help Zoro. Sabo knows.

Sabo can help. Sabo can help.

Luffy repeats the mantra as he watches his brother fight to save Zoro’s life.

Sabo knows more than Vivi does. 

Sabo can help.

This isn’t happening. This can’t be happening. No. No. No.

The swords press into Zoro’s chest, glowing red from the heat of Akainu’s fist. This is Ace all over again. And, yet, somehow, this is worse.

“Yameru! Zoro, yameru!” Luffy shouts.

No. No. Please, don’t die. 

Live. Live. Live. Live

**_“YAMERU!”_ **

He lets the Conqueror's Haki burst through him. It feels like he’s been holding it in for ages and releasing it is the most freeing thing Luffy’s ever felt. He can feel ground beneath his feet. Smell the burnt flesh, so thick in the air he might be able to taste it. 

He’s real. After months of working toward this, Luffy is finally in the land of the living again. 

“On your feet, marimo,” he hears Sanji say behind him. “The right hand of a king doesn’t belong on his knees.”

So, Sanji made it too. Luffy can’t say he’s surprised. After Zoro, Sanji has always been his strongest nakama. He’s also been the most determined to see this through, as frustrated as Luffy that their only opinion is to rely on someone else to help their nakama.

Marines and pirates alike fall around him. A snarl crosses Luffy’s face as he watches Akainu fly away. Those left standing freeze, all eyes on him and Sanji as they appear from nowhere on the battlefield. 

“Get away from _my_ swordsman!”

 _“O-oi,”_ Ace’s voice says from behind him. Ace is alive. Luffy’s brother is alive. Zoro saved him. And now Ace will live. Ace and Sabo get to see each other again. _“Luffy, that’s. Oi?”_

 _“Luffy,”_ Zoro says around a whine.

Luffy turns, finds his swordsman half hanging off of Sanji’s arm and staring at him with wide, tearfilled eyes. A smile pulls at Luffy’s lips despite all of the terror around him. Zoro can see him again. After months, Zoro can see him. It’s everything he’s wanted for so long. And yet, somehow, Luffy can’t force himself to speak.

The feeling of ground beneath his feet and wind against him begins to fade. Because the energy he’s saved up is fading. His hold on the living is slipping through his fingers. All before he can say or do anything. This isn’t what he thought it would be. Zoro isn’t happy to see him. This didn’t do anything to help Zoro. Didn’t do anything to fix him.

There’s pain and anguish on Zoro’s face. 

_“I’m afraid if we don’t leave him alone, he will never be able to heal and move on, Luffy-san,”_ Brook had warned him weeks ago.

Luffy should have listened to the warning. Because, in this moment, he can see that Brook is right. He can’t heal Zoro. He has to leave that to the living.

Sanji’s energy gives out before Luffy’s. Zoro stumbles slightly as their chef vanishes. Terror fills his dark eyes as he turns to look back at Luffy. Zoro is never going to move on like this. He’s never going to move on until Luffy lets him go.

 _“Luffy,”_ Zoro whimpers.

 _I’m sorry, Zoro. I’m so, so sorry._ Luffy gives him an encouraging smile.

 _“Luffy?”_ _God, please don’t leave me,_ that voice says. 

It’s cowardly, but Luffy has to drop his gaze. He can’t watch the agony crossing his swordsman’s face.

 _“Luffy.”_ There’s a thud as Zoro falls to his knees. _“Luffy, please don’t leave me behind!”_

There’s a sob and Luffy’s heart shatters. He promised. Promised to never go where Zoro couldn’t follow him. Promised to never leave Zoro behind. 

Luffy’s feet carry him to his swordsman’s side and he places a hand on Zoro’s hair, hating that he can’t feel how soft his first mate’s hair has always been. “Zoro. Never.”

Zoro collapses in tears and Luffy hates himself more and more. 

_You did this. You did this. You did this._

_“Hai,”_ Zoro’s voice is choked up but he manages to smile at Brook. _“I’m happy to be alive.”_

Luffy’s heart feels light and heavy all at the same time.

“We’ve gotta go, don’t we?” Luffy asks Brook.

His musician nods. 

“We aren’t leaving him behind, Luffy,” Jinbei offers softly. “We’re letting him move on.”

“It’ll be alright, Sencho,” Robin promises.

“They’re already doing a great job taking care of him, Luffy,” Usopp says. “He’ll be okay.”

They have been. The living crew has gone out of their way to keep a close eye on the swordsman. Alive Sanji sleeps with Zoro when Alive Luffy can’t. Alive Chopper works diligently on medicine that will help him cope with the ongoing depression that the swordsman struggles to get out of. Alive Nami and Vivi ensure the swordsman is never left alone.

This crew is going to take good care of Zoro.

Luffy’s vision blurs with tears again. “Do we get to say goodbye?”

“I think we can do that, Luffy-san.”

They all manage it this time. Luffy can tell that his crew all feel the earth around them, all grinning widely as they settle around the campsite. Brook produces a violin, running the bow lovingly over the strings. They make it almost to the end of the first verse of Bink’s Sake when the living crew begin to stumble out.

Luffy beams at Zoro as the swordsman stumbles out. He stares around at them all, eyes wide and filled with tears. Shooting forward, Luffy meets his swordsman halfway across the campsite.

“Zoro looks better!” Luffy announces, both to the crew and to his swordsman.

 _“Luffy,”_ Zoro whispers, his voice stronger than it was the last time he’d uttered Luffy’s name.

“We were worried, dummy.” Luffy gestures back at Nami, who’s frowning around at the living crew. “You should have told them sooner, Zoro. Nami yelled a lot cause you wouldn’t. She gave Usopp a headache!”

 _“O-oi,”_ Alive Usopp whimpers, dodging behind Alive Sanji. _“R-real ghosts.”_

_“Usopp, get your dumbass off me. They aren’t dangerous. They’re us.”_

_“That’s why they’re dangerous!”_

“Shishishi!” Good to see that Zoro’s new crew won’t be much different from them. “Usopp’s such a scaredy cat.”

“Oi, oi!” Usopp protests. Luffy glances back at his sniper to watch Usopp puff out his chest. “I’m a brave warrior of the sea now!”

They all are now. At least, Luffy thinks they are. He takes a moment to soak in Zoro’s appearance as Nami turns her attention to Vivi. Once again, Zoro’s left with only one eye, but Luffy isn’t worried. Zoro never needed two eyes to be the greatest. He’s gained weight again. Normally, Luffy wouldn’t notice, but Chopper and Sanji have both been over the moon about it. His muscles look big again, solid and strong. The dark circles have faded from his eyes.

He doesn’t look completely back to himself, but Zoro is most definitely healing.

The x-scar on his chest has healed as well. It crosses over the one Mihawk made, so long ago. And, after a long moment, Luffy realizes that it almost perfectly matches the one on his own chest. 

“We match now,” Luffy tells his swordsman. “Now, you won’t ever forget me.”

A slightly choked noise leaves Zoro’s throat. “ _How could I ever forget_ you?”

The exasperation in Zoro’s voice makes Luffy feel light again. There’s a promise in those words. Zoro will never let himself forget his first crew. He loves both crews equally, but he will never stop loving them. Never forget about them. 

Luffy grins up at him. If he could promise to never forget Zoro, he would.

“Luffy,” Jinbei calls, voice soft and firm. 

Right. They have to go. They have to let Zoro move on. He doesn’t need them anymore. Zoro’s going to be okay and Luffy has to let him go.

“Oh, right.” Luffy’s smile fades away, fingers tracing over Zoro’s newest scar. “We gotta go now.”

 _“Go?”_ Zoro’s voice shakes slightly.

Luffy’s throat feels tight. He didn’t know that ghosts could feel pain. That their hearts could break. His smile wavers as he nods and looks up at Zoro. “You and Vivi did it. You changed it. So, we can’t be here anymore. We gotta go.”

 _We’re not real anymore, Luffy. This version of us no longer exists_ , Robin had told him. _We’re going to have to go soon. And we can either go peacefully or be ripped from this world._

They have to go. They have to leave. And, Luffy knows that they should - even if they did have a choice, they should go because Zoro has to move on. But, Zoro’s jaw begins to tremble and fear strikes Luffy’s chest.

“We aren’t leaving you alone,” Luffy tells Zoro quickly. “We’d _never_ leave you alone. Zoro’s nakama will take care of him. Love him. Like we do. Cause, they know too. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

The living crew’s been telling him that for weeks now. They make him repeat it back. And, little by little, Luffy watched his swordsman begin to believe it. Zoro didn’t do anything wrong.

 _“I didn't do anything wrong,”_ Zoro echoes back.

The lingering doubt in Luffy’s mind vanishes with the ease of the words. Beaming, he cups Zoro’s cheek. “My best nakama.” Words that he should have told Zoro. Should have shouted from the rooftops for years. Words that he needs Zoro to hear before they never see each other again. “Brave and strong and the best. We’re gonna go and you’re gonna be okay.”

_Please, tell me this is alright. Tell me, you’re going to be alright without me here._

_“I’m gonna be okay,”_ Zoro agrees. _“I’m not alone. I didn’t do anything wrong.”_

There’s a lingering weight in the air that vanishes. Whether it's from his crew or the living crew, Luffy can’t be sure. But, either way, everyone else seems to know what Luffy knows. Zoro’s words are true. He’s going to be alright. 

That means there’s just one more thing to do before they go. 

“Right.” Luffy glances at his younger self. “I got one last captain’s orders for Zoro, ‘kay?”

_Let me tell him one last thing. Let us have one last promise._

Alive Luffy gives him a wide smile. _“Yosh.”_

“Thanks!” Luffy turns back to his swordsman, staring into his gray eyes. “Zoro, live. Not survive. Live.”

_Please understand. Please realize what I’m saying to you. This is the most important thing I’m ever going to ask you to do._

Zoro’s brow furrows.

“You’re happy to be alive, right?” Luffy presses. “Prove it to me, Zoro. Live. Live for you.”

_Your life isn’t for throwing away, Zoro. Live your life for you. Stop living for this crew._

After a long moment, Zoro lets out a deep breath and nods.

“You’re gonna be the World’s Greatest Swordsman,” Luffy tells him firmly. “Promise me.”

_Remember your dream. Stop throwing your dreams away for me. I love you, Zoro. I want you to find yourself without me again. I want you to have something to live for._

_“I’m going to be the World’s Greatest Swordsman. I promise.”_

Luffy crew erupt in cheers and yips of joy. Zoro looks up in surprise, glancing around at their exciting crew.

“Bye, Zoro!” Chopper calls. “We love you, ‘kay! Be a good patient.”

“Be good, swordsman-san,” Robin says with a wink. “Do look after yourself a little better.”

“Look after our swordsman-bro _super_ good!” Franky orders, striking his signature pose. 

“Indeed.” Jinbei smiles. “He can be quite a handful.”

“Yohohoho! My heart would break at such a heartfelt goodbye. If I had one.” Brook’s last skull joke pulls a soft laugh from Luffy.

“You can transfer all of my debt over to her,” Nami says with a smirk, gesturing toward her living self. “Take care of yourself, moron.”

“I leave all of my bravery to you,” Usopp says, puffing out his chest. “You’ll be the bravest warrior on the seas.”

“Idiot,” Sanji scoffs. “Eat every day. And quite worrying the damn ladies.”

“Zoro,” Luffy says, tugging at Zoro’s arm. “We love you, ‘kay. More than anybody else in the whole world.”

Zoro’s lips twitch, tears overtaking his eyes and spilling down his cheeks. And, while he looks sad, he doesn’t look broken.

He’s going to be okay. He’s going to be fine.

“They’re gonna take such good care of you, Zoro,” Luffy whispers. 

“Hai,” Zoro breathes.

“I love you, Zoro.”

It isn’t how Luffy wanted it to happen. But, he needs to say it before he never has the chance again. 

Zoro’s breath hitches. “I love you. Goodbye, Sencho.”

“Bye, Zoro.”

**Author's Note:**

> For all of you that are longing for some more of _The Next Right Thing_ , I give you this and possible more. I'm thinking about a few one shots, including but not limited to: what Vivi gets up to over the timeskip, what happens when Zoro comes back from his Vinsmoke visit, and the crew's reaction to seeing their future/ghost selves. If you guys have an requests for something you'd like to see from these one shots, feel free to let me know. I can't absolutely guarentee that I'll write it, but I'll at least try to give you an answer!
> 
> As always, my lovely readers, please stay healthy, stay sane, and stay safe out there!


End file.
